SkillsUSAhttp://www.skillsusa.org
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 20:45:51 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3WLTI Congressional Appointmentshttp://www.skillsusa.org/wlti-congressional-appointments/
http://www.skillsusa.org/wlti-congressional-appointments/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 20:45:51 +0000http://www.skillsusa.org/?p=7533The 2015 WLTI will be held Sept. 19-23 at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport in Herndon, Va. Registration for WLTI is $425 per person and due to the national headquarters. WLTI hotel costs will be paid directly to the hotel and there has been a recent rate adjustment to $102 per room per night plus […]

]]>The 2015 WLTI will be held Sept. 19-23 at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport in Herndon, Va. Registration for WLTI is $425 per person and due to the national headquarters. WLTI hotel costs will be paid directly to the hotel and there has been a recent rate adjustment to $102 per room per night plus tax.

The schedule for Tuesday, September 22, is different this year. The students and advisors attending WLTI will have time to go to Capitol Hill and visit with their senators and representatives between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (The bus departs at 5 p.m.) Appointments need to be set up ahead of time. A sample letter has been posted on 0ur website.

We suggest delegations first fax the appointment request letter and follow it up with a phone call. Letters sent by mail may take a month to reach Congressional offices because of security systems. But, if you do send a letter, please write or type the address – don’t use a label. The label will be blackened because all congressional mail goes through an irradiation process. And, don’t rely on an email invitation. Congress is receiving a massive amount of emails right now, so there is a good chance it could be overlooked, depending upon the office.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/wlti-congressional-appointments/feed/0SkillsUSA Theme for 2015-16http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-theme-for-2015-16/
http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-theme-for-2015-16/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 20:43:17 +0000http://www.skillsusa.org/?p=7531The SkillsUSA competition theme for the 2015-16 school year is: SkillsUSA: Champions at Work Connecting You to Career Success The topic to be addressed by contestants in the Chapter Display, Prepared Speech and Promotional Bulletin Board competitions is how our theme, SkillsUSA: Champions at Work, addresses the SkillsUSA national program of work in the area […]

The topic to be addressed by contestants in the Chapter Display, Prepared Speech and Promotional Bulletin Board competitions is how our theme, SkillsUSA: Champions at Work, addresses the SkillsUSA national program of work in the area of professional development.

Within this topic, contestants might illustrate or discuss any of the following:

Why is ensuring career success for every member of SkillsUSA important to the economic health and stability of our nation?

Describe how the mission of SkillsUSA — to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens — guarantees career success.

How has the vision of career success changed over the decades?

Describe the skills and attitudes that business and industry are demanding of students for career success.

What elements of SkillsUSA ensure that members experience career success?

How has the definition of career success changed for the current generation of students from their grandparents’ generation?

What does career success look like in the 21st century?

In the next 10 years, what skills are needed to fill the job-market skills gap, and how do SkillsUSA members ensure career success through their SkillsUSA involvement?

What are the connections that SkillsUSA has built to ensure career success for its members?

How has SkillsUSA adapted over the years to provide members with the skills needed for career success?

How has your involvement in SkillsUSA ensured that you will be connected to career success?

Career success involves much more than mere dollars; describe the elements of experiencing true career success.

Which SkillsUSA programs ensure that members are developing personal skills that are needed for career success? Program examples may include those that improve the following: integrity, self-motivation, work ethic, professionalism and responsibility.

Which SkillsUSA programs ensure that members are developing workplace skills that are needed for career success? Program examples may include those that improve the following skills: communication, decision making, teamwork, cultural sensitivity and leadership.

Which SkillsUSA programs ensure that members are developing technical skills that are needed for career success? Program examples may include those that improve the following skills: technical literacy, job-specific tasks, service to the community, ongoing professional development and an awareness of safety and health issues.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-theme-for-2015-16/feed/0Executive Director’s Report: August 1, 2015http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-august-1-2015/
http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-august-1-2015/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:08:10 +0000http://www.skillsusa.org/?p=7515WorldSkills Competition Around the Bend On Aug. 7, SkillsUSA’s WorldTeam will depart for São Paulo, Brazil, for the 43rd WorldSkills Competition. The team of 18 will compete in 16 skill areas, some for the first time. New competitions for the U.S. team include Manufacturing Team Challenge and Heavy Vehicle Equipment Maintenance. We are also entering Mechanical Engineering […]

]]>WorldSkills Competition Around the BendOn Aug. 7, SkillsUSA’s WorldTeam will depart for São Paulo, Brazil, for the 43rd WorldSkills Competition. The team of 18 will compete in 16 skill areas, some for the first time. New competitions for the U.S. team include Manufacturing Team Challenge and Heavy Vehicle Equipment Maintenance. We are also entering Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD as well as Baking for the first time in many years.

During the upcoming competition in Brazil, there will be a digital platform to provide Internet users with live streaming during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the WorldSkills Leaders Forum. There is also a YouTube Channel set up to share videos about WorldSkills leading up to the main event. For details, go to: www.worldskillssaopaulo2015.com.

SkillsUSA WorldTeam competitors have spent several months working with their experts to train for the competitions. While in São Paulo, the team will have the opportunity to visit a local elementary or middle school and talk to the students about their skill areas and life in the United States. We wish them luck and know they will represent USA proudly.

Photos from the White HouseSince we last communicated regarding the White House Innovation Fair and SkillsUSA’s participation, we have received two photos from the White House. We are very proud that our 2014-15 high school president, Ahmad Shawwal, requested and was allowed a meeting with First Lady Michelle Obama. Ahmad spoke with the First Lady briefly.

The Best of NLSCWe will survey all stakeholders soon to gather feedback on our national event. At our first all-staff meeting since the conference, we did a poll of staff on the highlights and those items requiring attention and improvement. A few of the superlatives included the great performance by our national officer team, the amazing additional space with everything under one roof, the teamwork among staff, the new SkillsUSA Store location and look, the contest floor layout including grouping and signage by cluster, Freedom Hall and the look and feel of the Opening and Awards Ceremonies, and the help and cooperation from volunteers and state association directors. On the “needs improvement” list, some of the items included transportation, conference hotels, security (including enforcement of backpacks and large boxes not being allowed into Freedom Hall during the ceremonies), the high cost of some service providers, VIP event crowd control, and the challenges of using the West Wing and West Hall of the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Below is the completed NLSC in Review video:

Highlights

On July 7, we had a good meeting with Lisa Doyle and Richard Garrison from Lowe’s Office of Learning and Development. Lowe’s came to discuss our Work Force Ready System assessments as a possible connection to a system it is setting up for store employees. Patty Duncan did a great job demonstrating the capabilities of our system. We also discussed how we might position our students for internships as well as after-school and summer jobs at Lowe’s. More discussion will follow, but we are excited about the possibilities for our students to connect more closely with Lowe’s stores across the nation.

On July 8, and again on July 14, select staff finalized plans for our upcoming State Association Director Training Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich. Final details and staff assignments are in place, with a strong agenda to assist our state association directors in understanding the latest educational resources, updates in curricula and strategic planning moving forward. A big thank you to SkillsUSA Michigan director Tammy Brown for all of the work she has done in preparation for our visit. Tammy has secured a greeting from the governor of Michigan and the state CTE director, Patti Cantu. The Michigan state officers will speak and assist at the conference.

On Friday, July 10, Eric Gearhart and Brittney Colburn met with the National Network of Business and Industry Associations and their executive director, Emily DeRocco, in Washington, D.C. Kelly Persons and I joined the meeting by conference call. This discussion was a result of the National Network’s visit and meeting during NLSC. Members included an impressive group of associations and foundations, including the ACT Foundation. Both the National Network and the ACT Foundation have expressed an interest in supporting SkillsUSA financially. Their interest lies in our employability skills framework and our national conference including the SkillsUSA Championships. We will hold a follow-up meeting within the next few days, and there is a good possibility of a pledge of financial support.

On Monday, July 13, we held a meeting with STEM Jobs, a national organization headquartered near Pittsburgh. Its mission is much like ours in regard to educating parents and the public about the opportunities in the STEM field and how career and technical education and STEM are in alignment. We were introduced to STEM Jobs by Jerry Ellner from Universal Technical Institute. We have invited the STEM Jobs executive staff to our Washington Leadership Training Institute to experience our students in action. We hope for a strong partnership moving forward.

On Thursday, July 16, the National Coordinating Council of Career and Technical Student Organizations met at our National Leadership Center. I was just named chair of the council and will lead these meetings for the next year. The meeting included staff from the U.S. Department of Education, Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc). One of the topics included more cooperation among the student organizations like the White House event, our roles at ACTE’s annual convention and common employability skills training inside CTE.

Finally, watch for the NLSC survey. We value your feedback and we will make sure it is used to improve our capstone national event.

That’s it for now. Until next time, thank you for all you do for the great students and teachers we serve.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-august-1-2015/feed/0Executive Director’s Report: July 15, 2015http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-july-15-2015/
http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-july-15-2015/#commentsWed, 15 Jul 2015 15:48:19 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7300In the Rear-View Mirror SkillsUSA’s 51st National Leadership and Skills Conference is over … and it was a record-breaker. The NLSC numbers held, and actually increased on site, to verify our largest conference ever. There were a few challenges, and we will work together to correct them and make things better when we return to […]

]]>In the Rear-View Mirror
SkillsUSA’s 51st National Leadership and Skills Conference is over … and it was a record-breaker. The NLSC numbers held, and actually increased on site, to verify our largest conference ever. There were a few challenges, and we will work together to correct them and make things better when we return to Louisville, Ky., for the 52nd NLSC.

However, it was incredible to hear the accolades from nearly everyone I spoke with — from students and teachers to industry partners and government leaders both domestic and international. And, I want to congratulate our staff that planned and managed this year’s event. We can now report the following:

The 2015 NLSC was our largest conference in history

The SkillsUSA Championships had the largest number of competitors ever, with 6,106 entrants in 100 contests

More than 2,000 volunteers supported the SkillsUSA Championships including judges, technical committee and education team members

There were some dynamic general sessions and excellent speakers, including Cameron Ferguson of Caterpillar Inc. and Nicolas Pinchuk, CEO of Snap-on Inc., at the Opening Ceremony as well as Troy Dally of Lowe’s at the Awards Ceremony

We had nearly 500 special guests attending from the federal government, business and education including John Ladd, administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship, and Kathy Mannes, director of the Center for Workforce and Industry Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Labor. We also hosted WorldSkills representatives from Canada, England and Russia, and workforce education specialists from Turkey and Malaysia

Alcoa Foundation and the 2015 SkillsUSA WorldTeam made a special appearance Wednesday at a reception on the contest floor and Friday night at the Awards Ceremony. The 19 members who head for Brazil in a few short weeks also participated in training while in Louisville

A total of 501 students participated in community service at eight sites around Louisville, bringing our total hours served this year to 112,360 and more than $350,000 raised for local charities. This completes our 50th-anniversary challenge to serve at least 50,000 hours — we more than doubled our goal!

News, News, News
Check out our 2015 online coverage and archived ceremonies at: www.skillsusa.org; search for the link to Daily Photos and Videos. Special thanks to the SkillsUSA editorial staff, who walked many miles each day to cover all events. The Week of Champions conference review video is now online:

SkillsUSA was in the news before, during and after the conference week, appearing on all local network affiliates, several times in the Louisville Courier-Journal and in other publications. Our Louisville media report is not final, but we enjoyed solid coverage in the Courier-Journal (print and website); news reports on television stations WHAS 11, WAVE 3, WDRB 41 and WLKY 32; and articles and video on the websites Insider Louisville and Louisville Business First.

SkillsUSA members are talking and sharing on social media in larger numbers. According to Web and technology manager Craig Moore:

Our Facebook “likes” grew to 23,448 post-conference

Our SkillsUSA Twitter page now has 6,330 followers

Our Instagram account has 2,286 followers just after conference

Our average number of Web hits on the SkillsUSA site is way up; April through June, we had 4.4 million hits

All the Way to the White HouseJust back from conference, SkillsUSA was invited to a special White House event on Tuesday, June 30. “CTE Convening: Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education” was hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama with the U.S. Department of Education. The meeting highlighted innovations in CTE that can be brought to scale across the nation. About 150 students and instructors attended the event at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Participating from SkillsUSA were 2014-15 national officers Ben Miller, Region 2 vice president from Virginia; Ahmad Shawwal, high school president, Virginia; and Brooke Johnson, college/postsecondary president, North Carolina. Also participating were three SkillsUSA advisors including Tim McLeod and Tom O’Day from Virginia and Todd Anderson from Oklahoma. Joining them were Niki Clausen and Tim Lawrence from the SkillsUSA headquarters staff. The students had an opportunity to share projects and programs with others in the group during the Innovation Fair. All CTSOs were represented. More details and photos are online: www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-officers-attend-white-house-event/

Election Results Are InCongratulations to Brent Kindred, Region 3 representative, on his re-election as president of the SkillsUSA board of directors; to Chris Arvin, B&I representative from Caterpillar, on his election as vice president; and Chuck Wallace, Region 1 representative, for his election as secretary. Also, congratulations to Peggy Torrens, representative for Region 4. The full board listing with photo will be on the website shortly.

The SkillsUSA voting delegates just elected a great new slate of 2015-16 student national officers. See our website for their names, titles and a group photo. They will be here for training in just a few days.

Lowe’s Visit
Two members of the human resources staff from Lowe’s Companies Inc. visited our headquarters after conference to discuss working with SkillsUSA on new recruiting team members for their stores. They also wanted to learn about the Skill Connect Assessments and how they evaluate knowledge in a particular skill area.

We Couldn’t Do It Without You
As Walt Disney said, “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” We here at SkillsUSA believe our conference is very special, but it takes so many dedicated volunteers, including our board of directors and foundation members, to help make it all work. Thanks to each of you for your efforts last week in Louisville. You are much appreciated. We welcome any feedback you have on this year’s event and will use that information for our improvement process.

That’s it for now. Until next time, thank you for all you do for the great students and teachers we serve.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/executive-directors-report-july-15-2015/feed/0SkillsUSA WorldTeam Going to International Competition of Young Skilled Workershttp://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-worldteam-going-to-international-competition-of-young-skilled-workers/
http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-worldteam-going-to-international-competition-of-young-skilled-workers/#commentsWed, 15 Jul 2015 12:57:57 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=6609Highlights Importance of a Competitive, Highly Skilled Workforce Leesburg, Va., July 22, 2015 — SkillsUSA, the organization that represents the United States in the WorldSkills Competition, is sending 18 career and technical education students to São Paulo, Brazil, to compete in 16 skill categories during the 43rd biennial event Aug. 11-16. The students will test […]

Highlights Importance of a Competitive, Highly Skilled Workforce

Leesburg, Va., July 22, 2015 — SkillsUSA, the organization that represents the United States in the WorldSkills Competition, is sending 18 career and technical education students to São Paulo, Brazil, to compete in 16 skill categories during the 43rd biennial event Aug. 11-16.

The students will test their skills against more than 1,200 students representing 73 countries and regions from around the world competing in 48 official skill competitions and two demonstration contests. There will be 5,000 international experts, delegates and judges, 3,000 volunteers and 200,000 student and public spectators attending.

The WorldSkills Competition highlights a worldwide issue: preparation of a highly skilled workforce. Simon Field of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) stated in the book Learning for Jobs, “Increasingly, countries are recognizing that good initial vocational education and training has a major contribution to make to economic competitiveness. The wealth of nations will come to rely more on the skills of their people than on other sources such as natural resources.”

The United States first entered the WorldSkills Competition in 1975, represented by the SkillsUSA organization.

“The SkillsUSA WorldTeam will meet and compete in Brazil with young workers from all around the globe, and I know our team will represent the United States very well,” said Tim Lawrence, executive director, SkillsUSA. “Just as in sports, winning contestants will be awarded medals and honors. But, the difference is that nations rise on the success of their workforce. Skilled, capable and flexible workers are the backbone of any nation’s economy and this international competition highlights that fact.”

SkillsUSA raises funds for individual competitors to train for and travel to the WorldSkills Competition, and the cost is substantial. To donate funding or in-kind support, go to: www.skillsusa.org/competitions/worldskills/.

The WorldSkills Competition (WSC)SkillsUSA is a member of WorldSkills, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This organization sponsors the biennial WorldSkills Competition (WSC). Participation in the WSC has provided a vehicle for comparing our career and technical students and methods of training with that of our major market competitors. The training technologies displayed at the WSC exemplify the ultimate standard in skilled workforce preparation. As such, they offer important lessons for technical instructors and for SkillsUSA’s corporate partners, whose productivity depends on employees with up-to-date skills. WSC results are one of the benchmarks by which a country’s global economic competitiveness can be judged.

WorldSkills was founded in 1950 and currently has members from 73 countries and regions In 1973, President Richard M. Nixon recognized SkillsUSA (then known as VICA) as the official U.S. representative to WorldSkills. To learn more about the WorldSkills Competition, go to: www.worldskills.org.

About SkillsUSASkillsUSA is a not-for-profit association that serves more than 300,000 member high school, college and postsecondary students — and their instructors — in trade, technical and skilled service.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-worldteam-going-to-international-competition-of-young-skilled-workers/feed/0SkillsUSA Members Participate in White House “CTE Innovators” Eventhttp://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-members-participate-in-white-house-cte-innovators-event/
http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-members-participate-in-white-house-cte-innovators-event/#commentsMon, 13 Jul 2015 12:36:02 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7268National Showcase of Innovation in Career and Technical Education WASHINGTON, D.C.—Three SkillsUSA members, three SkillsUSA instructors and two members of the SkillsUSA national staff were selected to participate in a White House Career and Technical Education (CTE) Convening: “Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education” on Tuesday, June 30, 2015. First Lady Michelle Obama as […]

Honored at the White House as CTE Innovators on June 30 were SkillsUSA students and advisors including instructor Timothy McLeod and student Ahmad Shawwal, Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center, Virginia; student Brooke Johnson, University of North C., Asheville; student Benjamin Miller, Hermitage Technical Center, Va.; instructor Todd Anderson, Green Country Tech Center, Okla.; and Thomas O’Day, Arlington Career Center, Va.

National Showcase of Innovation in Career and Technical Education

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Three SkillsUSA members, three SkillsUSA instructors and two members of the SkillsUSA national staff were selected to participate in a White House Career and Technical Education (CTE) Convening: “Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education” on Tuesday, June 30, 2015.

First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her Reach Higher initiative, delivered remarks at the Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education (CTE) event, hosted by the White House in partnership with the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. In her remarks, Mrs. Obama celebrated students and educators for their work connecting the classroom to real-life career opportunities.

The students and educators were selected through a competitive process run by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Over the course of the day, the White House showcased student projects and led discussions with education leaders, business and industry representatives and policymakers on how the best CTE programs can be replicated and expanded. This event followed the release of an Executive Order that expands the United States Presidential Scholars program to establish a new category for CTE.

“It is an honor for SkillsUSA to be recognized by the White House as an innovator and thought leader in public education CTE partnerships,” said SkillsUSA Executive Director, Timothy Lawrence. “Our student leaders, instructors and staff were thrilled to be at the table for these important discussions. Events like these shine a bright light on CTE and show the good work we have been doing for years. We will continue to bring awareness of SkillsUSA and CTE to the federal government in every office and at every level. As change comes, we want to not only be part of it but be a leader in meeting the need for a trained workforce that can help close the skills gap in America.”

About 150 students and instructors attended the event. Participating from SkillsUSA were Benjamin Miller, Hermitage Technical Center, Va.; Ahmad Shawwal, Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center, Va.; and Brooke Johnson, University of North Carolina, Asheville. Also participating were three SkillsUSA advisors including Timothy McLeod, Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center, Va.; Thomas O’Day, Arlington Career Center, Va.; and, Todd Anderson, Green Country Tech Center, Okla. Joining them were SkillsUSA Associate Director of Training Niki Clausen and Executive Director Tim Lawrence.

Benjamin Miller, Ahmad Shawwal, as well as Stephanie Wilburn (Okla.), who did not attend the event, were announced as CTE Student Innovators. Todd Anderson, Timothy McLeod and Thomas O’Day were named as National CTE Educator Innovators. During the afternoon Innovation Fair, instructor Todd Anderson demonstrated how members of SkillsUSA, HOSA-Future Health Professionals and Business Professionals of America (BPA) collaborated to build a robot. SkillsUSA students built the robot while other students provided safety training and project support such as writing a business plan, media, and creating team shirts. Anderson is a product of CTE who teaches drafting and mentors robotics teams. Student Benjamin Miller presented his work in law enforcement on how to lift fingerprints from a crime scene. He has been involved in numerous CTE organizations and is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Student Ahmad Shawwal presented a project to engineer a 3D chocolate printer, combining culinary skill and applied engineering to develop an application for 3D printing outside of plastic manufacturing. Shawwal has a passion for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and has worked as a science education intern at the Smithsonian Institution.

Cecilia Muñoz, director of the Domestic Policy Council, welcomed the group to the White House. John King, senior advisor for the U.S. Department of Education spoke on the President’s education reform agenda. First Lady Michele Obama brought remarks and then the group participated in two panel discussions featuring Johan Uvin, acting assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and Mario Cardona, senior policy advisor to the White House. Cardona and Uvin presented awards to close the program.

SkillsUSA is the national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education. It sponsors the SkillsUSA Championships annually to recognize the achievements of career and technical education students. As a partnership of students, instructors and industry working together, SkillsUSA works to ensure America has a skilled workforce. It helps every student excel. The organization serves more than 300,000 high school, college and postsecondary students—and their instructors—in technical, skilled, and service occupation instructional programs. SkillsUSA has the active support of more than 600 corporations, trade associations, business and labor unions at the national level. Over 11.6 million people have been annual members of SkillsUSA since its founding in 1965. SkillsUSA programs teach leadership, citizenship and character development to complement technical skill training. The organization emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-members-participate-in-white-house-cte-innovators-event/feed/0Contest Scores Availablehttp://www.skillsusa.org/contest-scores-available/
http://www.skillsusa.org/contest-scores-available/#commentsWed, 01 Jul 2015 17:41:43 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7213The detailed score reports for competitors have been uploaded and are available now. Note: To retrieve scores you need the contestant number and birthday of the competitor. Please be aware that in some cases, the birthday has been entered incorrectly. If this is the case with you, you must contact Judy Garrison at jgarrison@skillsusa.org. If you have […]

The detailed score reports for competitors have been uploaded and are available now.

Note: To retrieve scores you need the contestant number and birthday of the competitor. Please be aware that in some cases, the birthday has been entered incorrectly. If this is the case with you, you must contact Judy Garrison at jgarrison@skillsusa.org.

If you have a question or concern about the score itself, please contact Dave Worden at dworden@skillsusa.org.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/contest-scores-available/feed/0SkillsUSA Officers Attend White House Eventhttp://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-officers-attend-white-house-event/
http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-officers-attend-white-house-event/#commentsTue, 30 Jun 2015 18:46:53 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7186The Department of Education’s Division of Academic and Technical Education worked collaboratively with the White House to host a CTE Convening on June 30, entitled, “Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education (CTE)” SkillsUSA was represented by 2014-15 national officers Brooke Johnson, Ahmad Shawwal and Benjamin Miller. Other CTSO national officers were also in attendance. […]

The Department of Education’s Division of Academic and Technical Education worked collaboratively with the White House to host a CTE Convening on June 30, entitled, “Celebrating Innovations in Career and Technical Education (CTE)”

SkillsUSA was represented by 2014-15 national officers Brooke Johnson, Ahmad Shawwal and Benjamin Miller. Other CTSO national officers were also in attendance.

The event celebrated students and educators for their work connecting the classroom to real-life career opportunities. First Lady Michelle Obama headlined the event, where she connected high-quality CTE to her REACH Higher initiative.

This event follows the release of an Executive Order (EO) expanding the U. S. Presidential Scholars program to establish a new category of outstanding scholars in CTE. Information about the EO can be found on the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) at: www.cte.ed.gov.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/skillsusa-officers-attend-white-house-event/feed/0Publicity for your studentshttp://www.skillsusa.org/publicity-for-your-students/
http://www.skillsusa.org/publicity-for-your-students/#commentsSat, 27 Jun 2015 02:00:02 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7090The complete list of SkillsUSA Championships winners is available at: www.skillsusa.org/competitions/skillsusa-championships/results/. In addition, trade releases specific to each contest area are located at: www.skillsusa.org/events-training/national-leadership-and-skills-conference/press-kit/. Please feel free to use the wording from these when publicizing your students’ participation (e.g., as a delegate, Courtesy Corps member, competitor, etc.) in the NLSC. A sample press release template will […]

A sample press release template will be added to the SkillsUSA’s advocacy site by the end of this month. It’s another way to help get the word out to the media and to Congress. This press release is editable by the sender and can be sent to five media outlets at a time. The site can be reached by going to: http://capwiz.com/skillsusa/home/.

]]>http://www.skillsusa.org/publicity-for-your-students/feed/0mikeroweWORKS Foundation Competitor Scholarship Winners Announcedhttp://www.skillsusa.org/mikeroweworks-foundation-competitor-scholarship-winners-announced/
http://www.skillsusa.org/mikeroweworks-foundation-competitor-scholarship-winners-announced/#commentsWed, 17 Jun 2015 14:17:47 +0000http://skillsusa.org/?p=7095This is the fifth year the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, in partnership with SkillsUSA, offered a scholarship opportunity for SkillsUSA members who competed and placed first in their state association competition. This year, both DEWALT and Cisco Systems also contributed to the scholarship fund. The scholarship will provide support for 92 SkillsUSA state contest winners who have insufficient […]

]]>This is the fifth year the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, in partnership with SkillsUSA, offered a scholarship opportunity for SkillsUSA members who competed and placed first in their state association competition. This year, both DEWALT and Cisco Systems also contributed to the scholarship fund. The scholarship will provide support for 92 SkillsUSA state contest winners who have insufficient personal resources to participate in the 2015 National SkillsUSA Championships. This year, scholarship awards were determined by geographic distance to Louisville, Kentucky. Students from Alaska and Hawaii will receive larger scholarships than those who live closer to Kentucky. The winners will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation staff during the conference. This year’s winners are:

Emma Daniels from Hutchison High School in Fairbanks, Alaska
Michael Lewis from Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska
Leah Morton from King Career Center in Anchorage, Alaska
Joshua Daniels from Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute in Forrest City, Ark.
Dexton Gavin from Cave City High School in Cave City, Ark.
Matthew Trammell from North Arkansas College in Harrison, Ark.
Samuel Valentin from North Arkansas College in Harrison, Ark.
Makaleigh Wright-Lacy from Quitman High School in Quitman, Ark.
Amanda Braun from American River College in Sacramento, Calif.
Ethan Moskoff from Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Dylan Arre from Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester, Conn.
Chloe Fuson from Plant City High School in Plant City, Fla.
Zachary Coker from Tift County High School in Tifton, Ga.
Deonjay Daniels from Tift County High School in Tifton, Ga.
Laxyank Patel from Tift County High School in Tifton , Ga.
Brandon Shuping from Adairsville High School in Adairsville, Ga.
Keaerica Williford from Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga.
Brent Berry from Coastal Pines Technical College in Waycross, Ga.
Jordan Abanto from Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School in Honolulu, Hawaii
Matthew Harms from Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmettsburg, Iowa
Adriel Claflin from Meridian Technical Charter High School in Meridian, Idaho
Tera Filan from CWI in Nampa, ID
Matt Turner from Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Idaho
Jacob Weber from College of Western Idaho in Nampa, Idaho
Martin Zurita from Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho
Derek Whallon from Whitewater Technical Career Center in Connersville, Idaho
Bethany Ellis from Meade High School in Meade, Kan.
Breanna Ross from Meade High School in Meade, Kan.
Cory Shaw from Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, Kan.
Colten Tipton from Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan.
Timothy Nickel from Arkansas City High School in Arkansas City, Kan.
Krysta Lewis from Pineville High School in Pineville, Ky.
Nicolas Wicker from Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School in Fitchburg, Mass.
Phillip Edwards from Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Catonsville, Md.
Isiah Manns from Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Baltimore, Md.
Kells McDonald from Western School of Technology and Environmental Science in Baltimore, Md.
Renee Browning from Presque Isle High School in Presque Isle, Maine
Dustin Vachon from Oxford Hills Technical School in South Paris, Maine
Bethanie Fuhrman from Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich.
Rashad Littleton from Golightly CTC in Detroit, Mich.
Madeline Maxim from Mona Shores High School/Muskegon Career Technical Center in Muskegon, Mich.
Seth Parsch from Imlay City High School in Imlay City, Mich.
Anthony Robbins from Bay City Western in Auburn, Mich.
Chyesa Wade from Saginaw Career Complex in Saginaw, Mich.
Mosalewa Ani from Roseville area High School in Roseville, Minn.
Prudence Mugambi from Roseville Area High School in Roseville, Minn.
Rachel Tangen from Stillwater Area High School in Stillwater, Minn.
Oceane Thea from Roseville Area High School in Roseville , Minn.
Hunter Crumley from Doniphan High School in Doniphan, Mo.
Aaron Arnett from Greene County Vo-Tech in Leakesville, Miss.
Katelynn Brock from Jones County Junior College in Ellisville , Miss.
Lacey McLain from Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss.
Logan Anderson from Jamestown High School in Jamestown, N.D.
Kelton Beedy from James Valley Career & Technology Center in Jamestown, N.D.
Mason Kurtz from James Valley Career Tech Center in Jamestown, N.D.
Jared Schultz from James Valley Career & Technology Center in Jamestown, N.D.
Brian Barrows from Nashua High School South in Nashua, N.H.
Giannie Cintron from Somerset Vo-Tech H.S in Bound Brook, N.J.
Olivia Malesco from Monmouth County Vocational in Freehold, N.J.
Isabella Olaguera from Communications High School in Wall, N.J.
Sebastian Wecer from Cumberland County Technical Education Center in Bridgeton, N.J.
Todd Albright from Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio
Nakisha Carter from Indian Capital Technology Center in Muskogee, Okla.
Tyra Hunt from Tulsa Tech-Lemley Campus in Tulsa, Okla.
Hannah Jones from Berryhill High School in Tulsa, Okla.
Jacob Lord from Tulsa Tech- Peoria Campus in Tulsa, Okla.
Jessica Padilla from Tulsa Technology Center Peoria in Tulsa, Okla.
Skylar Pece from Tulsa Tech-Peoria in Tulsa, Okla.
Sean Stewart from Meridian Technology Center in Stillwater, Okla.
Mikah Walters from Tahlequah ICTC in Tahlequah, Okla.
Sydney Clifton from Sabin-Schellenburg Technical Center in Portland, Ore.
Daniel Koenig from Roseburg High School in Roseburg, Ore.
Paige Brown from Chariho Career and Technical Center in Wood River Junction, R.I.
Tania Cano from William M. Davies Jr. Career & Technical High School in Lincoln, R.I.
Shelby Thompson from Lexington Technology Center in Lexington, S.C.
James Beene from Grundy County High School in Coalmont, Tenn.
Austin Bennett from Unicoi County High School in Erwin, Tenn.
Julie Franks from Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump in Crump, Tenn.
Tipton Gray from Tennessee College of Applied Technology Hohenwald in Hohenwald, Tenn.
Steven Messick from Coffee County Central High School in Manchester, Tenn.
Jeremiah Powers from Unicoi Co Career and Tech in Erwin, Tenn.
Michael Ramsey from Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Shelbyville in Shelbyville, Tenn.
Grace Felan from Wills Point High School in Wills Point, Texas
Rex Hernandez-Clemons from Carl Wunsche Sr. High School in Spring, Texas
Kelly Krenek from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas
Parker Childs from Northern Neck Regional Technical Center in Warsaw, Va.
Terra Burk from New Market Skills Center in Tumwater, Wash.
Daniel Hutson from Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla , Wash.
Joel Martinez from Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center in Yakima, Wash.
Angel Morton from Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla, Wash.
Angelino Ortega-Martinez from Yakima Valley Technical Skill Center in Yakima, Wash.
Nicholas Radach from Centralia High School in Centralia, Wash.
Darren Townzend from Caperton Center for Applied Technology in Parkersburg, W.Va.